Reflecting on the tragedy of 9/11/2001, it occurs to me that the terrorists accomplished their goals all too well. They murdered thousands of people, and that itself is certainly an incident of terror. But, their terror seems perpetuated in most of our daily lives and the continued actions of our government.
Our response to the 9/11 tragedy was to start two wars, neither of which has particularly made our lives better. The economic drain on this country as a result of those wars is felt now and will be felt for generations. There are secret police watching everything we say or do, listening to our phone conversations, and checking our call lists. Our population has collectively lost millions of tiny Swiss army knives mistakenly left in a pocket, either worn or in carry on luggage when trying to board an airplane. When at the airport, everyone's a real estate agent, or appears to be one, standing around with our shoes off. Pilots are sometimes armed, and everyone is suspicious of people who appear a little (or a lot) different. Now, purses are not allowed in the stadium during professional football games -- Who thought that one up? We have been a little scared and a lot cautious since 2001.
Whether by actual necessity or by paranoia, the terrorists have managed to sculpt a new normal for Americans. I would say that there must be a peaceful solution to the conflicting philosophies of Mideast and West, but that will not happen. We can't even get the people we elect to cooperate with each other, and they would be the foundation to any Mideast accord. The terrorists have succeeded in changing our lives forever.
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